The rapid expansion of information service and data processing industries has created a need to manage and store large amounts of data. As an example, financial service companies such as banks, mutual fund companies or the like often operate complex data processing systems that require access to many hundreds of gigabytes or even terabytes of data and corresponding files stored in remotely located, high capacity data storage systems. Typically, data processing systems retrieve and store the data and files from the data storage systems over a network.
Data storage system developers have responded to these needs for increased capacity by integrating high capacity data storage systems, data communications devices and computer systems into networks referred to as “storage networks” or “storage area networks” (SANs.) In general, a storage area network is a collection of data storage systems that are networked with a number of host computer systems. The host computers of the storage area network operate as servers that access data stored in the data storage systems on behalf of client computers that request data from the servers.
Storage area networks are typically managed based on use of software management applications running on a corresponding network manager control station (e.g., a computer workstation) coupled to the storage area network. Conventional storage area network management applications (i.e., certain software applications) provide conventional Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) that enable network managers to graphically manage, control and configure various types of hardware and software resources associated with a corresponding managed storage area network. One conventional network management storage application generates a graphical user interface utilized by a network manager to graphically select, interact with, and manage local or remote devices and associated software processes associated with the storage area network.
Based on use of a graphical user interface in combination with an input device such as a hand operated mouse and corresponding pointer displayed on a viewing screen, a network manager is able to manage hardware and software entities such as file systems, databases, storage devices, peripherals, network data communications devices, etc., associated with the storage area network. Typically, in such network management applications, the network manager selects a displayed icon representing a corresponding managed resource in the network and applies management commands to carry out intended management functions such as viewing hardware and software settings associated with the corresponding selected managed resource.
As noted above, a storage area network may include a number of hardware devices such as host computers, servers, data communication devices (e.g., switches, routers, etc.), network attached storage devices, proxy devices, firewall devices, and so forth that are coupled amongst each other via physical cables, circuitry, etc. Certain conventional network management applications are designed to provide a network manager with information concerning how these network resources are interrelated. For example, in one application, a network manager may select one or more icons (e.g., folders of information identifying host computers, servers, volumes, storage devices, etc.) from a hierarchical tree to display managed resources associated with a particular storage system. Based on viewing information in the hierarchical tree and/or a table of information generated based on selection of an entry in the hierarchical tree of SAN resources, the network manager can view and modify configuration settings of a corresponding managed storage area network.
In an application separate from the conventional network management applications discussed above, Microsoft™ develops software to search for files stored in a file system. Such software is often deployed on personal computers. According to one Microsoft™ application, a user can display an expandable tree of icons representing folders, sub-folders, and files stored locally or remotely over a network. The user selects a search function option while viewing the expandable tree to retrieve a list of files in the expandable having particular properties. For example, a user can perform a search in a directory or folder to find any files having a “.doc” extension. After performing the search for the files, the application displays the search results such as a list of “.doc” files to the user. The user is then able to select the files for viewing in a corresponding application suitable for viewing the selected file.